Bing for Android adds augmented reality search features and more

Microsoft continues to update its Bing search app for Android, as it keeps trying to take some of Google’s market share away.  The latest version of the Bing app includes a feature that puts an augmented reality twist on searching for nearby places to eat, drink and otherwise entertain users.

When you open the app and tap on the camera logo on the left side, it brings up the view from your rear camera. Then you tap on the new “360” option on the left bottom portion of the app and it will bring up a list of nearby places such as restaurants, coffee houses and more. There are even options to see more practical locations like gas stations, grocery stores and more. There’s also a compass on the left top side so you can quickly see where your nearby picks are, or you can quickly switch to an overhead map view of those same places with the tap of the map icon on the lower right side.

The AR feature isn’t the only thing that’s new with Bing for Android. You also get a music page that is supposed to direct users to videos, lyrics and related songs from their favorite artists. The change log says the Bing app also says there’s an Events page with upcoming local concerts and sports events, and a Lottery page for the latest on the jackpot amounts and winning numbers. However, we didn’t see either one of those features with this update.

What do you think of Microsoft adding these new AR search features in the Bing app. Are they actually useful or is this just a gimmick?